Switch



Dec. 16, 1952 C. J. WERNER SWITCH Filed April 29, 1950 Patented Dec. 16,1952 SWITCH Calvin J. Werner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General MotorsCorporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April29, 1950, Serial No. 158,960

(Gl. 20G-5) Claims.

This invention relates to an improved electric switch particularlyadapted to control a plurality of circuits.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an electricswitch adapted, while one of two members thereof is manually actuated,temporarily to complete a plurality'oi circuits and when said one memberis released, maintains only one of said circuits complete and active.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a switch asdefined in the aforegoing paragraph, said switch, however, having a sec-'ond member which, when manually actuated will break the single circuitmaintained by the switch and will render all of the circuits of theswitch incomplete until the said one member is again actuated, at whichtime said second member is automatically released to effect completionof all of the circuits.

Further objects and advantages of the prescnt invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the switch.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the switch.

Figt is a sectional view of the switch in complete circuit breakingposition and is taken substantially along the line and in the directionof the arrows 3 3 of Fig. 1. For the sake of clearness, certain parts ofthe switch have been shown in full and in a position in which allcircuits controllable by the switch are broken.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the switch actuators.

Fig. 5 is a detail end view of the second switch actuator, bothactuators being identical.

Fig. 6 is a view of the detent spring.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline and in the direction of the arrows of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken subtantially along the lineand in the direction of the arrows 8--8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the flexible movable contact element of theswitch.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the rivet which holds the two portions ofthe switch connection in assembled relation.

The switch consists of a two piece housing 2|) made of any suitableinsulating material. As shown in Fig. 'I the housing 20 consists of twocooperating portions 2| and 22, a partition 23 and 24 in the respectiveportions making them substantially E-shaped in cross section as shown inthis figure. When placed together as shown in Fig. '7 they formcompartments 25 and 26. A rivet 2 provided with a head 28 at one end,the other end being split to provide tongues 29, extends through alignedopenings in the two housing portions 2| and 22. When the tongue portions29 are swedged away from each other as shown in Fig. l this rivetsecurely holds the two housing portions 2| and 22 in assembled relationas shown in the Fig. 7.

The sectional view Fig. 3 shows all the component parts of the switchmounted within the housing portion 22. The switch has two sets ofcooperating contacts, one of each set being stationary, the othermovable. The stationary conn tacts of the sets are numbered 30 and 3|respectively. The cooperating movable contacts 32 and 33 respectively ofsaid sets are carri-ed at opposite ends of a common resilient blade 34,the central portion of which has oppositely disposed tongues 35 and 33which extend through aligned openings in the housing portions 22 and 2|thereby predeterminately locating and centrally anchoring this commonresilient blade 34 within the housing. The extension 36 on thisresilient blade 34 provides one terminal of the switch. The flexibleblade 34 is normally biased when not inuenced by an actuator so that thecontact 32 thereon normally engages its cooperating stationary contact30 of the one set of contacts,

while the contact 33, carried at the opposite end of the resilient blade34, is normally maintained out of engagement with its co-operatingstation ary contact 3l. Fig. 3 shows the blade 34 biased by actuator toseparate contacts 30 and 32 whereby the switch is in complete circuitbreaking condition. The stationary contact elements 30 and 3| arecarried by similar plates detailedly shown in Fig. 7. In this figure thecontact 3| is shown attached to a plate 38 one end of which extendsthrough an opening in the houisng portion 22, the other end 39 extendingthrough a similar opening in the housing portion 2|, this end formingthe terminal for this stationary contact. It will be seen in the Figures3 and '7 that the contact carrying plate 33 is secured within thehousing portions 2| and 22 so that contact 3| on the said plate may beengaged by the contact 33 on the resiilent blade 34. An arm similar toplate 38, designated by the numeral 40, is supported between alignedopenings in the housing portions 2| and 22 in such a manner however 3that the contact 3U on said plate 4l) is positioned so as to beengageable by the contact 32 on the resilient blade 34.

Each housing portion 2| and 22 has spaced semi-circular extensions 4I-42and 43-44 respectively which when the housing portions are assembled asshown in Fig. 1 form a circular support surrounding an opening in eachhousing portion in which an actuator is slidably supported. Thesemi-annular portions 42 and 44 of the two housing portions 22 and 2lrespectively form the bearing in which the actuator 50 is slidablysupported while the semi-circular portions 4I and 43 of the respectivehousing portions 22 and 2| form a slidable support for the actuator 63.The actuator 53 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 has a cylindrical shaped bodyportion which slidably ts in the bearing 42-44 of the housing, the lowerportion of this actuator being shaped to present two oppositely disposedilat wall portions 52. Each wall portion 52 has a wedged shaped camminglug or nubbin 33, the upper surfaces of which cooperate with theshoulders 54 on said actuator to form a groove 55 on each side of theactuator, the attened wall portions 52 of the actuator extend beyond thecylindrical body portion 5| thereof so as to form a shoulder 53 whichlimits the outward movement of the actuator in the housing.

Actuator 50 a counter part of actuator 5B ex-v cepting that 60 is redand 53 black, also has a lower portion provided with oppositely disposednat walls 62 each of which having wedged shaped camming lugs or nubbins63 extending outwardly therefrom and cooperating with the shoulder 3'!on the actuator 6D to form groove t5 similar to the groove 55 in theactuator Fill. Actuator 53 has shoulders 63 which limits the outwardmovement of this actuator 60 in the housing 2i?. The ends of theilattened portions of both actuators are sloped so as to providesubstantially pointed corners on each actuator. The pointed corner ofactuator 53 is normally engaged by the biased end of the flexible springblade 34 upon which contact 33 is attached. The corner of the aetuator6! as shown in Fig. 3 is constantly engaged by the biased end ofresilient spring blade 34 which carries the contact 32. rIhis resilientspring blade 34 thus yieldably maintains both y actuators 5t and 53 innormal position as illustrated by the Fig. 2. As shown in this figurethe two pairs of cooperating contacts are secured within the compartment25 in the housing.

In compartment 25 of the housing there is provided a detent spring shownin Fig. 6 as being hairpin shaped and having a coiled head portion 'l0from which extend two arms 'Il and 'i2 normally yieldably held insubstantially parallel relation. When in position in the housing the arm12 of the spring yieldably rests upon the two corresponding iiat sides52 and G2 of the respective actuators 53 and 6B while the arm 'H restsupon the opposite nat sides of the said two actuators. Normally thesearms rest upon the respective at sides of the actuator adjacent thelower ends of the camming lugs or nubbins 53 and 63 on the actuators 53and (i3 whereby these arms il and l2 constantly assist spring blade 3din holding these actuators in normal position in which their respectiveshoulders 56 and 33 are held against the inner wall of the housing 253.

The Fig. 3 shows the actuators 5e and 63 in their respective positionsin which the resilient blade 34 is biased to maintain the cooperatingcontacts open and thus all circuits controlled by the switch will bebroken and incomplete.

To actuate the switch so that all circuits controlled thereby arecompleted, the push button o1' actuator 5l] is pressed into the housingwhich moves the portion of blade 34 carrying contact 33 so that saidcontact 33 will engage its cooperating contact 3l. As the actuator 5U isso moved into the housing, the camming lugs or nubbins 53 thereon, beingwedged shaped, will urge the actuator engaging arms 1I and 12 apartcausing them to spread. Actuator 50, in moving blade 34 to causeengagement of contacts 3l and 33 will not move into the housing asuiiicient distance to have arms 1I and 12 enter grooves 55 on saidactuator 50, thus the arms 'Il and 12 of the detent spring will at notime lock the actuator 5f) in its contact closing position but on thecontrary said actuator will effect engagement of contacts 3| and 33 onlywhile manual pressure is being exerted upon the actuator 50 to hold itin this position. As soon as such manual pressure upon the actuator 5 isremoved. said actuator will be returned by blade 34 into its contactseparating position as shown in Fig. 3.

The spreading of detent spring arms 1I and 12 by the camming lugs 53 ofactuator 50 as just described will move said arms out of the grooves @5of actuator 63. The spread of arms 'Il and I2 being wider than the outerextreme surfaces of the camming lugs 53 on actuator 60, permits blade 34to move said actuator 60 into its normal or inoperative position inwhich the blade 34 assumes its normal biased position to move contact 32into engagement with contact 3D.

Thus it will be seen that manual depression of actuator 5B into housing20 concurrently effects engagement of the contacts 3l--33 and 32-30 andthereby completes all the circuits controlled by the switch. Whenactuator 53 is relieved of manual pressure thereon blade 34 returns itto inoperative position and in so doing effects separation of contacts3|-33 and la consequent breaking of the circuit in which they areconnected. Contacts 32-30 will, however, remain in circuit closingengagement until the actuator B is manually depressed which moves arm 34to disengage contact 30 from contact 32 and again permits spring arms'll and l2 to ride over the surfaces of camming lugs 63 and entergrooves E55 for locking and retaining the actuator in this circuitbreaking position as shown in Fig. 3 in which all circuits controlled bythe switch are broken.

According to this design a heavy duty switch for controlling multiplecircuits may be made of minimum size and maximum strength.

This type of switch is particularly adapted to be used in connectionwith electric motors provided with a centrifugal field controllingswitch, in that stalling of the motor which causes the centrifugalswitch to shift into a motor starting position will not again berendered operative until the actuator 50 of the control switch isclosed, the engagement of contacts 30 and 32 which maintain operation ofthe motor after attaining proper speed, not eifecting motor operation orstarting thereof after the speed of the motor has been reduced bystalling or overload.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electric switch comprising an insulating housing; two stationaryterminals in said housing each providing a contact; a resilient bladeanchored at its center in the housing, each freely movable end of theblade providing a contact adapted to engage a respective stationarycontact, the blade being biased normally to cause one of its contacts toengage its cooperating stationary contact and the other of its contactsto disenga'ge its respective stationary contact; two push buttons in thehousing, engaged by la respective movable portion of the flexible blade,each push button having oppositely disposed, wedge shaped camprojections cooperating with a ledge on each push button to form aretainer groove on each side thereof; and a hairpin shaped detent springhaving two arms yieldably pressed against opposite sides of each pushbutton, said arms moving into and occupying the groove in thepush buttonengaging the blade spring portion Whose contact normally engages itscooperating stationary contact when said button is operated into contactdisengaging position whereby said button is retained in this operatedposition, the other push button, when actuated to cause its engagedblade to move its contact into engagement with its cooperating contact,moving an insucient distance to cause the detent spring to enter theretainer groove thereon, the cam projections on said other push button,duringthis push button movement biasing the detent spring to release theretained push button and permit its return to contact engaging position.

2. An electrical switch comprising an insulatinghousing; two sets ofstationary and movable contacts in said housing, the stationary contactsbeing separate, each movable contact being carried at a respective endof a resilient element, anchored intermediate its end and biased so thatone set of contacts normally engage and the other set are normallydisengaged; two actuators slidably supported in the housing and eachconstantly engaging the said resilient element adjacenta contactthereon, each actuator having a wedge shaped cam and a contiguousrecess; a common resilient bar yieldably urged against each lactuatorsaid bar riding over the wedge shaped cam and into the recess adjacentthereto to lock the one actuator in its contact opening position whensaid actuator has been moved to open the normally engaging contacts, theresilient bar being flexed by operation of the other actuator into theposition to cause engagement of the normally disengaged contacts,whereby the exped bar releases thev said one actuator and permits theresilient element to return the actuator to normal position and againeiect engagement of the normally engageable contacts.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, in which the normally opencontacts are so positioned relatively to each other that they limit themovement of the said other actuator so that only its wedge shaped camengages the resilient bar to ex it and release the said one actuator,therecess contiguous to said cam not being moved into receivingalignment of said bar, thereby preventing retention of said otheractuator in its contact closing position.

4. An electrical switch comprising an insulating housing; two sets ofstationary and movable contacts in said housing, the stationary contactsbeing separate, each movable Contact being carried at a respective endof a resilient element, anchored intermediate its end and biased so thatone set of contacts normally engage and the other set are normallydisengaged; two actuators each having a cylindrical body portionslidably supported in the housing and a rectangularly shaped incross-section portion presenting two parallel Walls, extending Withinthe housing and in constant engagement with the resilient element; awedge-shaped cam and an adjacent recess on each side of the twoactuators contiguous to their cylindrical body portions; and a singlehair pin shaped detent in the housing, said detent consisting of a barhaving a loop head portion and two arms each of which is yieldably urgedagainst corresponding walls of the two actuators, preventing theirrotation in the housing and providing means for retaining only oneactuator in its contact disengaging position when so actuated, the otheractuator being operative to flex said detent and release said oneactuator when said other actuator is operated to cause engagement of thenormally open contacts.

5. An electrical switch comprising an insulatinging housing; two sets ofstationary and movable contacts in said housing, the stationary contactsbeing separate, each movable contact being carried at a respective endof a resilient element, anchored intermediate its end and biased so thatone set of contacts normally engage and the other set are normallydisengaged; two actuators each having a round body portion slidable inthe housing and a wedge shaped portion extending into the housing andpresenting oppositely disposed sloping walls and contiguous recesses,said wedge shaped portion constantly engaging the resilient elementwhich urges both actuators outwardly of the housing; a single detentspring having a looped head portion and two arms each yieldably urgedagainst respective, corresponding sides of the wedge-shaped portion ofsaid actuators, said detent arms being operative to enter the recessesin the one actuator, when it is operated to cause disengagement of thenormally engaged contacts, to retain said actuator in this contactengaging position, the other actuator, when operated to cause engagementof the normally disengaged contacts, ilexing the detent to release theretained actuator, the engagement of the contacts by operation of saidother actuator limiting its movement so as to prevent its recesses fromreaching the detent arms and being retained thereby.

` CALVIN J. WERNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the le of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,316,834 Bierenfeld Apr. 20,1943 2,519,899 Gaynor Aug. 22, 1950

